UPSC 2004 Prelims Questions with Answers

Explanation

G. S. Dhillon: A member of the Indian National Congress, he served as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha during the 4th and 5th Lok Sabha from August 8, 1969, to March 19, 1971, and again from March 22, 1971, to December 1, 1975. Baliram Bhagat: Representing the Indian National Congress, he served as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha during the 5th Lok Sabha from January 15, 1976, to March 25, 1977. Hukum Singh: A member of the Indian National Congress, he held the position of Speaker of the Lok Sabha during the 3rd Lok Sabha from April 17, 1962, to March 16, 1967. K.V.K. Sundaram: He was never the Speaker of the Lok Sabha but was a distinguished lawyer, judge, and the 2nd Chief Election Commissioner of India after Sukumar Sen.

Explanation

Pair 1 is incorrect: The Department of Women and Child Development was initially under the Ministry of Human Resource Development. In 2006, it became a separate Ministry known as the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Pair 2 is incorrect: The Department of Official Language is under the Ministry of Home Affairs, & implements the Official Languages Act, 1963.

Pair 3 is incorrect: The Department of Drinking Water Supply was a department under the Ministry of Rural Development.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: India formally established full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992 under the leadership of Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. Prior to this, India had recognized Israel in 1950 but had limited diplomatic engagement due to its support for the Palestinian cause.

Statement 2 is correct: The first Israeli Prime Minister to visit India was Yitzhak Rabin, but this visit was not a state visit. Ariel Sharon officially visited India in 2003.

Explanation

Voltas is a leading manufacturer of air conditioning and cooling technology. It was established in 1954 as a collaboration between Tata Sons and Volkart Brothers. Titan Industries was founded in 1984 as a joint venture between the Tata Group and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO). Rallis India is a subsidiary of Tata Chemicals. Rallis India is a leading agrochemicals company within the Tata Group. Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), which owns and operates the Taj Hotels, is a part of the Tata Group and was established in 1903 by Jamsetji Tata.

Explanation

A-2: Jhumpa Lahiri is a renowned author known for her works like Interpreter of Maladies (which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000) and The Namesake (2003). She is widely recognized for her contributions to literature and novel-writing. B-1: Sunita Narain is an environmentalist and activist working on climate change, water management, and sustainable development. She is associated with the Centre for Science and Environment and has been a strong advocate for environmental policies in India. She received Padma Shri award in 2005. C-4: Naina Lal Kidwai is a banker and business executive, known for her leadership in HSBC India and being the first Indian woman to graduate from Harvard Business School. She has played a significant role in the financial and banking sector. D-5: Ravina Raj Kohli is a media executive and journalist. She has been involved in television media and has held leadership roles at channels like Star News and Sony Entertainment Television.

Explanation

Tarun Bharat Sangh, led by Rajendra Singh, is an Indian NGO known for water conservation efforts in Alwar, Rajasthan. Since 1975, it has revived traditional rainwater harvesting methods like Johads, restoring rivers such as Arvari and improving groundwater, irrigation, and drought resilience. It also promotes sustainable agriculture and rural development to combat climate change.

Explanation

The Fourth Schedule of the Indian Constitution specifies the allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha, detailing the representation of each state and union territory in the Council of States. Options (a), (b) and (c) are incorrect:

The Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution contains the scheme of distribution of powers between the Union and the States. It is divided into three lists: the Union List, the State List, and the Concurrent List. recognized languages. The Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution contains provisions regarding the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in states, excluding Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.

Explanation

The services sector has attracted the highest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into India in the decade leading up to 2004. This includes banking, insurance, IT, and business process outsourcing (BPO). The liberalization of FDI norms, IT boom, and rapid urbanization contributed to significant investments in financial services, telecommunications, and IT-enabled services. As per Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Department for Pro-motion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) reports, the services sector remained the largest recipient of FDI inflows, consistently contributing over 15-20% of total FDI inflows.

Explanation

Option (c) is correct: Strontium salts (e.g., strontium carbonate or strontium nitrate) are used to produce red color in fireworks. Barium salts (e.g., barium nitrate or barium chloride) are used to produce green color in fireworks. Options (a), (b) and (d) incorrect:

Zinc and Sulphur are not typically used for color in fireworks. Zinc can be used in fireworks for producing white sparks, but not for color. Potassium and Mercury are used for purple or lilac colors, but mercury is generally not used due to its toxicity and environmental concerns. Chromium and Nickel are not commonly used for coloring in fireworks. Chromium compounds can be used for green, but they are less common compared to barium and strontium.

Explanation

Option (a) is correct: The event sequence is 2-1-4-3. Formation of Haryana State from Punjab in 1966. Fourth general elections in India were conducted in 1967. Meghalaya and Tripura became full states in 1972. Mysore was renamed as Karnataka State in 1973.